A gift, a promise and a snowstorm -A Christmas story
by katie1999
Summary: Zorro promises Victoria to attend the Christmas party in the tavern, but something goes wrong.
1. Chapter 1

**A gift, a promise and a snowstorm -A Christmas story**

 **Chapter 1**

Zorro took Victoria in his arms and kissed her tenderly. It was one of the few moments they were uninterrupted, with the soldiers out on maneuver and the alcalde on a trip to San Pedro. Soon he had to leave again and Zorro hated the thought. This was going on too long already and there was no hope the situation was going to change soon. His dearest wish was to marry Victoria and have a a family with her. Christmas was nearing and the prospect of another year without her at his side made for a bleak outlook. This year had to be different!

"I want this Christmas to be special," he whispered, holding her tight. "I can't stand this waiting anymore."

"Neither can I," Victoria clung to him. "But what can we do?" She looked at him desperately.

"I don't know, I have to think about it." Zorro stroked her back, enjoying having her warm and tempting body in his arms. "I don't want to leave you and the time we have together is always too short. I want you to be my wife and have you sleep in my arms." Zorro kissed her passionately and was met with an equal response from Victoria.

Z Z Z

A week later Zorro waited for her in her room when she walked up the stairs to go to bed.

"Zorro!" Victoria registered the movement of his cape as he stepped out of the shadows.

"Querida," he drew her into is arms. "I know it's still a few days until Christmas, but I have a gift for you."

"A gift for me? And you want to give it to me before Christmas?" Victoria asked excited. "What is it?"

As Zorro pointed to the bed, she noticed a large bundle wrapped in cloth. Unable to hide her curiosity, she opened it.

"It's a dress," she whispered surprised as she unfolded it and held the dark red cloth against her body.

"Do you like it?" he asked.

"It's beautiful!" she whispered. "I never had something like it before. Why did you give it to me now instead of waiting for Christmas?"

"I want this Christmas be special for us," he caressed her face tenderly. "Will you wear it at the Christmas party to dance with me?"

"You'll come to the Christmas party? And you'll dance with me?" Victoria beamed at him. "This will be the most wonderful Christmas I ever had!" She leaped into his arms to kiss him. "I can't wait for Christmas."

"I can't wait either," he smiled happily, but suddenly he turned serious again. "There's one more thing, Victoria."

"What is it? What's the catch?" she asked afraid.

"I don't know yet if I will come as myself or wearing the mask, but I'll be there and dance with you," he assured her.

"Oh," she said, not liking the idea that she might not recognize him. "How will I find you? Or will you tell me who you are?"

"I'll find you! The most beautiful woman in the pueblo! Will you grant me that dance?" he whispered.

"As many dances as you want, Zorro. I want us to be together!"

"I want that too. I'll be there, Querida. I promise." After another long kiss he climbed out through the window again and she heard him ride away.

Victoria sat down on the bed, holding the dress to her chest. This Christmas would be wonderful!

Z Z Z


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Victoria got many compliments on her new dress from the guests at the Christmas party that took place in her tavern like every year. Don Alejandro and Felipe were one of the first guests to arrive and she smiled when they entered the tavern.

"Merry Christmas, Don Alejandro. Merry Christmas, Felipe."

"Merry Christmas to you too, Victoria," Alejandro smiled. "That's a beautiful dress you're wearing."

"Thank you, Don Alejandro." Confused, Victoria looked at the door that had closed behind them. "Isn't Diego with you? Isn't he coming?"

"Diego will come later," Alejandro said annoyed. "Can you believe that he picked today of all days to ride to Santa Paula for a Christmas gift?"

"Diego rode to Santa Paula?" Victoria asked incredulously. "A snowstorm is expected later in Los Angeles. It will be dangerous to be outside in the cold."

"Luckily, we're safely inside your tavern," Alejandro smiled. "We can all enjoy the party while the storm is blowing outside. I can only hope that Diego doesn't linger too long in Santa Paula and comes back before the storm hits us."

It didn't take long until all the guests had arrived except for Diego and of course Zorro. Victoria danced a lot, but the one she wanted to dance with didn't come. She had tried to match her dance partners with Zorro, but none of them fit.

In between the dancing she served the tables together with her helpers. Mendoza had asked for another glass of wine and she lingered a moment to chat.

"This one is on the house, Mendoza," Victoria put the glass in front of him. "It's Christmas and you have been a good friend."

"For me, Señorita Victoria? That's very gracious of you," Mendoza smiled delightedly, sipping at his wine. "This is just what I need. You know the work never stops – not even on Christmas. Did I tell you about the bandits we managed to catch today? They claimed they had an encounter with Zorro earlier today and that Zorro stopped following them after he disappeared in a ravine."

"Zorro? He had an accident?" Alarmed, Victoria sat down at the table. "Tell me what happened!"

"I don't know if Zorro had an accident," Mendoza stated. "All I know is what the bandits told me. They met Zorro up in the mountains when they tried to escape with the horses they had stolen from the Herrera ranch. Zorro tried to catch them and almost overcame them. For some reason Toronado was frightened and when the horse reared Zorro fell down a slope. The bandits didn't bother to check on Zorro but rode the other direction. My group of soldiers were able to capture them later when they came down from the mountains."

"Where was it? Where did the bandits meet Zorro?" Victoria asked anxiously.

"I believe it must be near the Rio Blanco up in the hills, but that's all I know." Mendoza said. "I wouldn't worry, Señorita," he tried to soothe her when he saw Victoria's concern. "I don't believe that anything has happened to Zorro. I think the bandits are only bragging about the encounter."

Unconvinced, Victoria rose from the table, ignoring several requests for a dance and leaned on the bar.

"Victoria, what's wrong?" Alejandro called her to his table as he noticed her face. "Why are you suddenly so unhappy?"

"I don't know, Don Alejandro, but I believe something has happened to Zorro." Victoria sat down at the table with Alejandro and Felipe, recounting her conversation with Mendoza.

"Victoria, I understand why you are concerned, but there's nothing we can do at the moment with the storm hitting Los Angeles any time now. We have to wait until it's over and we don't even know if it's true what the bandits are saying."

"I don't know, Don Alejandro," Victoria said anxiously, "What if it's true? What if something has happened to him? The storm is much worse higher in the mountains. He won't be able to survive in this weather." It would be the reason why Zorro hadn't come to the party, she silently added to herself.

While Alejandro was drawn into another dance, she noticed the concern in Felipe's face as if he feared the same. Victoria carried some glasses into the kitchen and when she put them in the sink, she noticed Felipe entering the kitchen. The boy hadn't noticed her in the corner and quietly headed for the exit of the kitchen. He was carrying his coat as if he was about to leave.

"Felipe, where are you going? Why are you sneaking out of the kitchen?" she addressed him. With a fright the boy stared at her. He signed her that he had to go and with his finger on his mouth he asked her not to say anything.

Why was the boy leaving so suddenly? Victoria asked herself and suddenly she realized the truth. Felipe believed too that something had happened to Zorro and now he was going to rescue him. Why Felipe? Why was the boy who was always so close to Diego going to rescue Zorro? Unless Diego was Zorro! Suddenly, everything made sense. The only one missing at the party were Diego and Zorro, but if Diego was Zorro then it was clear why neither of them had come. She needed to think more about this, but now was the time to act.

"Stop, Felipe," she called the boy back. "I believe I know where you're going. You're trying to rescue Zorro, aren't you?" With wide open eyes the boy stared at her and the fear in his face was answer enough.

"I'm coming with you," Victoria declared. "If something has happened to him, you may need my help."

Felipe shook his head signing that he wanted to go alone and pointing at her elegant dress, he objected that she wasn't dressed appropriately for a ride.

"I'll change into riding clothes and then I'll meet you in the stables," Victoria said determinedly.

Felipe still wanted to go ahead without her, signing that he needed to hurry because of the storm.

"I'll be quick, Felipe, and you'll need me, because only I know the location where the bandits met Zorro."

Giving up, Felipe signed her to hurry.

As fast as she could, Victoria changed into her riding gear and grabbed a warm coat, before she sneaked out through the kitchen and into the stables where Felipe had already saddled the horses.

The storm was getting worse by the minute and there was no time to lose. Felipe guided them to the mountains and they urged their horses to go as fast as the weather allowed.

Victoria lost track of time when she followed Felipe's lead into the mountains. The higher they got the worse the weather became. The raging snow became a white wall where Victoria could hardly make out Felipe's horse as she rode behind him. They were close to their destination when Felipe waved at her. Stopping her horse next to him, she could make out a large dark shape that was coming toward them. It was Toronado!

Felipe dismounted and walked to the horse. The way Toronado let Felipe handle him showed that the horse was well accustomed to Felipe's treatment. Felipe tried to calm the horse, but Toronado wouldn't stay. He walked back the way he came from and stopped after a few paces to check if they were following him.

"I think he's trying to lead us to Zorro," Victoria said and Felipe nodded. He mounted his horse again and they followed Toronado up the mountain.

It didn't take long until the horse stopped at the edge of a slope , scratching on the ground. Victoria and Felipe dismounted, trying too see something but everything was covered in snow.

Felipe signed her that he would climb down and Victoria soon lost sight of him. She waited for him to come back, but after several minutes she grew impatient and followed Felipe. It was difficult to get down the slope as the snow made everything very slippery. When she finally arrived at the bottom, she saw Felipe bent over a black motionless figure that was partly covered in snow.

"Zorro!" Victoria rushed over to him and knelt by his side. With her hand she shoved the mask over his eyes to confirm what she already knew. It was Diego!

"How are you? What happened?" she asked, but Zorro didn't answer. "Please, don't be dead," she whispered. Bending over him, she kissed his lips that felt cold as ice.

"Victoria," he opened his eyes. "Is this a dream? Your lips, they're so warm."

"You're alive," she exclaimed. "For a moment I thought you were dead."

"No, I just can't move," he whispered. "Felipe," he turned to the boy who had freed him from the snow. "I need your help!"

Questioning, the boy looked at Zorro. "My foot, it's stuck. I can't move."

Looking at Zorro's foot, they noticed that it was stuck in some rubble that had followed Zorro's fall. "I tried to free myself, but I couldn't get it out," Zorro explained.

Together they tried to free his foot, but it wasn't that easy. Part of the snow had frozen and they had to remove that first, before they were able to remove enough rubble so that Zorro could pull out his foot.

"Is it broken?" Victoria asked concerned, when Zorro tried to stand up.

Zorro shook his head. "No, I don't think so. It's stiff from the cold, but it should be better soon."

Felipe and Victoria helped him back on the road where the horses were waiting.

"Toronado, he's here!" Zorro patted his faithful steed.

"Yes, he helped us find you!" Victoria explained. "He led us to the place where you had fallen. If not for him, we wouldn't have found you in the snow."

"Thank you both for rescuing me," Zorro said. "I would have frozen to death if you hadn't come." Zorro drew Victoria into his arms. "You're so warm!" he pressed her body against his. "And your kiss was the best thing that ever happened to me - feeling your hot lips on mine." Ignoring the cold, he kissed her again, savoring her lips and drawing warmth from their embrace.

Felipe pulled at his sleeve motioning him to get going.

"Yes, Felipe, you're right, we need to get out of this cold."

"I wish you'd ride with me on Toronado, so I could hold you in my arms," Zorro said to Victoria before he released her, "but we'll get back faster to the hacienda if we ride on different horses."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Clinging to the warm body of Toronado and wrapped in additional blankets, Zorro rode back to the hacienda with his rescuers as Felipe took the lead. The weather improved once they left the mountains and neared Los Angeles.

At the hacienda Felipe took care of Toronado and Victoria handed Felipe's and her horse to the de la Vega stable men. She wanted Diego to go to bed, but he wouldn't have it. Instead, they met again in the parlor in front of the hot fire to warm up again, after they had changed into dry clothing.

"We need to go back to the tavern, Victoria," Diego was dressed in his best suit while he had cuddled Victoria in his arms with the hot fire burning at his back.

"Go back to the tavern?" Victoria exclaimed. "You need to stay home and keep warm after you almost died in that storm. I still can't believe you survived in the cold."

"I almost wouldn't have if not for you two and Toronado. He found a way to come to me and stayed with me to keep me warm. I don't know how he heard you coming, but he left me to guide you to me."

"And now you need to warm up and stay warm!" Victoria declared.

"I'd prefer staying here with you, but I have a better idea that will help us get married soon," Diego smiled, getting her immediate attention.

"We can get married?" Victoria looked at him surprised. "How? And why do we need to get back to the tavern?"

"I believe that you are already missed in the tavern and you need to explain your absence. What if we stay as close to the truth as possible? You were concerned about Zorro when you heard about his accident from Mendoza. You rode here with Felipe in the hope I had returned from my trip and that I would help you to search for Zorro. I persuaded you that it was too dangerous to ride out in this bad storm to search for Zorro and you wouldn't be able to find him," Diego explained.

"And then? How does this help us?" Victoria asked.

"We'll let Zorro perish in the storm never to be seen again and in your grief you turn to me for consolation."

"And then I realize that I love you?" Victoria smiled. "I think I can pretend to grieve for Zorro and make everyone believe he has died if it helps us to set a wedding date."

Z Z Z

The snowstorm had already abated when they returned to the tavern. Where there had been heavy snow in the mountains the pueblo was only covered in a layer of snow that looked beautiful in the dark now that the wind was gone.

The party was already nearing its end and many guests had already left. Alejandro was sipping wine at a table with Mendoza when Diego entered with Victoria and Felipe.

"Victoria, where have you been? And Diego, I'm so glad you finally managed to come at all! What kept you so long?" Alejandro asked.

"I was concerned that something had happened to Zorro," Victoria explained. "I wanted to go searching for him."

"Felipe persuaded her that she shouldn't go alone and insisted she ask for my help first," Diego added. "I had already returned from my trip from Santa Paula and didn't want to ride to the pueblo in the storm. I told her that it was too dangerous to ride into the mountains in that weather and we should wait until the storm was over."

"That was a sensible thing to do," Alejandro agreed. "It's better to wait out the storm, Victoria. You were much safer at the hacienda though your friends and I started to worry when you left so suddenly."

"I don't know," Victoria said doubtfully. "What if something happened to Zorro as the bandits claimed? He might already be frozen to death in the snow!" Victoria thought about the moment when she had found Zorro and believed him dead and the tears came unbidden to her face.

"Victoria, I wouldn't worry too much," Diego gently put his arm around her to comfort her. "There's nothing you could have done in the storm except endangering yourself. If it helps you, I'll ride with you to the place first thing in the morning."

"Diego is right," Alejandro agreed. "We need to wait for daylight to start a search for Zorro. It's impossible to find someone in the dark and in the snow."

"My soldiers can look out for Zorro too," Mendoza offered.

"Thank you, Mendoza," Victoria wiped away her tears with a handkerchief Diego handed her. "But I don't know if that's what Zorro needs. Either he freezes to death or your soldiers capture and hang him."

"Victoria, I think you should come with us to the hacienda tonight," Diego said. "There's no use for you to stay here alone worrying."

"I'll pack a few things for the night," Victoria agreed. "Thank you," she handed him back his handkerchief.

While they waited for Victoria to get her bag, Diego sat down at the table with Mendoza and his father.

"Diego, where have you been?" Alejandro asked annoyed and relieved at the same time. "You really took a bad time to ride to Santa Paula because of some gifts. I already started to worry when you didn't return in time."

Before Diego had time to answer he was interrupted by several friends who had missed him at the party and wanted to wish him a merry Christmas. He explained that he had been delayed by the weather on his trip back from Santa Paula.

After some time Diego noticed that Victoria hadn't come down again.

"Victoria is taking quite some time," he remarked to his father. "I'll go check on her."

When Diego entered her room after Victoria's muffled reply, he found her sitting on her bed, crying.

"Victoria, what's wrong?" he asked concerned.

"I.. I don't know," she cried. "When I came back here, I saw the dress on the bed and I suddenly realized that I nearly lost you. I would have danced here at the party while you were freezing to death in the snow and I wouldn't even have known what had happened to you and why you didn't come."

Diego sat down beside her and put an arm around her. "It's all right, Victoria. It's the shock, but it's over now. You and Felipe went out to search for me and you saved my life. I'll never forget that. I thought I'd die when I was trapped in the snow." He couldn't suppress a shiver when he drew her into his arms and held her tight.

"We need to go back now," he said after a few moments, placing a kiss on her hair.

"I wish you could hold me for a while longer," she said longingly.

"I wish that too," he whispered. "The time with you is always too short. Are you ready?"

Victoria nodded, wiping away her tears. "Just wait outside for a minute." Diego didn't have to wait long for her to come out of her room, dressed in her new dress with a traveling bag in her hand. Taking the bag, he offered her his arm to guide her back to the main room.

"What's wrong?" Alejandro asked. "Have you been crying, Victoria?"

"Victoria is really concerned about Zorro," Diego explained. "He had promised her to come to the party tonight and now that he didn't come, she's afraid he's in danger after the incident with the bandits Mendoza talked about."

"Zorro wanted to come tonight? Why didn't you say so earlier, Victoria?" Alejandro asked, suddenly very concerned. "It puts everything in a new light. Zorro wouldn't break a promise for no reason. We should have gone searching for him while it was still light after the storm had calmed down."

"I didn't want the Alcalde to hear about it," Victoria explained. "He would have done anything to kill or capture him."

"We need to go home now. There's nothing we can do at this point, Father. I believe everything will be all right tomorrow," Diego said unable to hold back a loud sneeze. "I'm sorry. I think I caught a cold."

"You need to go to bed, Diego," Victoria ordered and Alejandro looked at them surprised. Since when was Victoria ordering Diego around and his son didn't even object?

In the closed carriage Diego took the seat next to Victoria and as soon as they were out of sight, he put an arm around her, giving her the chance to rest her head on his shoulder.

"Can you tell me what's going on here?" Alejandro asked surprised.

"I'll explain it to you at the hacienda, Father," Diego said tiredly, "but first I have a promise to keep."

"A promise?" Victoria looked at him. "Are you talking of the dance?"

"I promised, didn't I?" Diego smiled at her.

"You promised Victoria a dance?" Alejandro asked. "Why didn't you come earlier and dance with her at the party?"

"It's a long explanation, but I'll explain later if you would be so kind to play the piano for us, Father." Diego said.

"I don't know what one thing has to do with the other, but it's Christmas and if that's what you wish," Alejandro agreed.

"That would be wonderful," Victoria beamed.

When they returned to the hacienda, Alejandro followed Diego and Victoria to the library and sat down at the piano as requested. As soon as the music of the slow waltz filled the air, Diego bowed to her and drew her into the dance.

"You look beautiful in that dress," Diego whispered.

"It was you who gave it to me," Victoria smiled. "It's a Christmas to remember."

"I didn't expect this day to turn out like this, but now we can get married if you still want me now that you know it's me."

"Of course, I do, Diego," she smiled at him, stopping in the middle of their dance.

"I wished I could have married you this Christmas, but we have to wait a little longer, Querida," Diego smiled at her. "You will be a beautiful spring bride and if God blesses us, we'll have our own family soon."

"It doesn't matter if we have our wedding day on special day as Christmas or get married on another day. Our wedding will make it special day and all I want for Christmas is to be with you."

Alejandro had stopped playing when he noticed that they were kissing instead of dancing.

"Can someone finally tell me what's going on? Diego? Victoria?"

"Father, you can congratulate us. Victoria has just agreed to marry me," Diego announced.

"How did this happen? What about Zorro?" Alejandro asked confused and delighted at the same time.

Leading his father back to the parlor, Victoria and Diego sat down by the fire again and recounted what really had happened today, Zorro's accident and how Felipe and Victoria had saved him.

Though Alejandro was happy about their engagement, he was shocked when he realized that he had almost lost his only son today. Unable to cope with it, another sneeze from Diego made him react strongly.

"You.. you almost died, Diego! And now you're sitting here so calmly as if nothing happened? How could you keep this from me and even play the charade in the tavern tonight?"

"And you, Victoria, should have told me that my son was in danger instead of sneaking away with Felipe. You let me party while my son was dying! You should have let me come with you!"

"I'm sorry, Don Alejandro," Victoria apologized under tears. "I was so afraid and I didn't know what to do."

"Father, please, we're sorry," Diego said. "Felipe promised not to reveal my identity and he only took Victoria with him because she gave him no choice."

"I'll talk with the boy tomorrow," Alejandro said, not satisfied with the explanation. "At least he had the sense to go to bed early and stay warm after your trip through the snow. And that's what you two should do too. When you have slept and recovered from your ordeal tomorrow, we will talk and you'll have a lot to explain."

Z Z Z

The next day Alejandro made sure that Diego stayed warm and recovered at the hacienda. Diego didn't mind to stay by the warm fire if Victoria kept him company though he quickly grew tired of all the questions about Zorro from Victoria and his father.

Alejandro personally led a search party for Zorro on the next day, but neither his search party nor any of the soldiers the alcalde had sent out found any trace of him. Zorro never appeared again and a few days later Toronado was found wandering around the de la Vega hacienda.

Z Z Z

Victoria and Diego married on the first of March after Diego had helped her to overcome the loss of Zorro. On the next Christmas when Diego was putting the nativity scene on display at he hacienda, Victoria was cradling her own infant son.

"Merry Christmas, Victoria," Diego whispered happily, careful not to wake his son as he took his family in his arms.

"Merry Christmas to you too."

* * *

 _ **A/N:** I hope you all had nice holidays and now I wish you all a Happy New Year._


End file.
